Shoe-fastening



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. CHARLES KN OPP, OF WIN ON A, MINNESOTA.

SHOE-FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 382,651, dated May 8,1888.

Application filed February 18, 1888. Serial No. 264,464. (No model.)

forward eye or perforated portion of the fastener or link is bent downwardly, as shown To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES KNOPP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Winona, in the county of Winona and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Button-Fasteners; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to improvements in shoe-fasteners, and is adapted to be used on all shoes such as now use buttons.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description and claim, when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of a portion of a shoe, showing iny improved fastening devices applied. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of the same taken longitudinally through the fasteners; and Fig. 3 is a perspective View of one of the fasteners detached.

Referring by letter to the said drawings, A indicates the fasteners,which are preferably of the form shown in Fig. 3 and composed of sheet metal. These fastenings may be stamped from a sheet of metal in loop form, having their branches extending forwardly diverging, so as to present a taper or incline in the forward di- .rection, where they terminate in an eye, a,,f0r

attachment to the shoe. While the construction described is the one which I prefer to employ, and for the sake of cheapness in manufacture prefer to stamp them from sheet metal, yet it is obvious that the fasteners may be formed of wire or other suitable material and provided with a loop at one end for the passage of the adjacent link or lever and an eye at the opposite end for attachment to the under flap of a shoe. To these features of construction I do not wish to be understood as restricting myself, as such changes may be made according to the dictation or fancy of the mechanic. The

at b, and of a length slightly greater than'the thickness of the leather through which they pass.

In practice I sew or secure the short bent ends of the links or levers to the inner flap of the shoe and at points opposite the buttonholes of the outer flap, as more fully shown in Fig. 2. The fastenings may be made by thread,

staples, or other suitable devices, so as to al- 0 low the links or levers a free movement.

' In operation, when it is desirableto fasten the shoe upon the foot, the loop ends, of the links or levers are passed throughthe buttonholes, beginningat the lower one,the next link or leveristhen passed through the eye or loop of the link and pressed upon, and the opera tion repeated to the top of the shoe, where the free end of the last one may be held down by means of a clamp or othersuitable device.

One of the important advantages of this invention is that the links will keep the front of the upper of the shoe where it closes perfectly smooth and free from wrinkles, so common to button-shoes. It will also be found that in wearing rubbers there will be no dis-v The combination, with a shoe, of a series'of levers or slotted links arranged on one side of the opening in proper relation to the buttonholes on the opposite side, so as to adapt the said levers to pass through'the said buttonholes and interlock each other, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES KNOPP. Witnesses:

W. A. FINKELNBURG, EDW. D. KEYEs. 

